


Underneath it all

by uwukathie



Series: Kathie's AH hybrid AU [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: A character is implied to be a really big creep, Angst, Burnie is 22, Chinchilla!Jeremy - Freeform, Gen, Geoff is 19/20, Gun Violence, Jeremy is 14, Kidnapping, Padalickingood AU, Rabbit!Ray, ah hybrid au, bird!gavin, bull!Ryan, but not really, cat!Michael, honestly I may rewrite the first few chapters soon, lion!Jack, ram!Geoff, slow ish burn, teen!AU, they’re all aged down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-26 04:42:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20383852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uwukathie/pseuds/uwukathie
Summary: Jeremy had owned a massive set of ears on the top of his head, a thick and fluffy  tail sprouting from his lower back and thin whiskers poking out of his cheeks and eyebrows for as long as he could remember. It was normal for him. The tiny town in the forest was filled with people like him. Chinchilla and human hybrids. The next little city held rabbits, the next birds. A long, tiring journey could bring you to the predators. Lions and bulls, all of the hybrids formed a sort of country. Never touched by humans, until one fateful day.





	1. Hidden behind shirts, ties and marriages

Fourteen year old Jeremy never experienced a day without his fluffy tail trailing behind him, ears each half the size of his head perking up at every little noise. He'd never not had his whiskers fan over his cheeks.

But that was beside the point. The humans couldn't see him like this. He traveled the busy streets, his group of unlikely friends all surrounding him.

It was early in the morning, the sun not even have risen whenever the group left for their journey. They'd considered trying some sort of public transport, but figured it too risky.

The human city wasn't unlike his own home, just with more bricks and dreary colors and not the lush greens and tans of a forest town. He found it odd for the buildings not to be made out of trees. They passed a busy bakery and he briefly thought about the differences between this one and his lovely chinchilla one. This one clearly tried to have a "Homely" Feel about it. Though it paled in comparison to the rodent ones he'd been to in his lifetime.

His tail bunched up under his odd, baggy pants. Making him grunt in pain as he tried to fix it without anyone noticing.

The rabbit beside him eyed his uncomfortable fumbling. He sighed "I know it's uncomfortable but you've got to be more subtle, dude."

Jeremy pouted, eyeing the rabbit to make sure he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The Puerta Rican's long ears poked slightly out of his beanie. But to any onlookers they would hopefully just appear as longer hair.

"We're almost there." The ram leading their group stated. The bird hybrid with a large trench coat wrapped around him groaned.

"You said that twenty minutes ago! Twenty! If I could just fly this would be so much easier!"

"Shh! Gavin!" A bull from within their group flicked the bird's head, causing the boy with the odd accent to shriek loudly. From the time Jeremy had known him it seemed the boy did everything loudly.

The two "cats" of the group sighed simultaneously. One rushing forward to try and yell at Gavin while the lion just rubbed a hand over his forehead where he must've been gaining a headache.

The only one he'd known in this group was Matt, but the Badger was busy with the lanky anteater griping about the long walk.

"And finally, we arrive." the group were at a large, tall building towards the edge of the city. Geoff walks up to knock, taking off his beanie.

There's some clicks behind the door before it is slipped open. A large, slightly menacing man stands in the doorway. He raises an eyebrow at the mismatched group, but nods and opens the door wider.

"Come in, but stay quiet. Some people are still sleeping." The man commanded. As soon as all the hybrids where inside he introduced himself "Hello everyone, I'm Burnie. I'm a bull hybrid."

Most of them relay back with quiet "Hi"s. Jack, the lion, comes forward to shake his hand.

"You can all go sit in the living room, I'd like to stay and talk with Geoff for a bit." Burnie points at the doorway beside the group and they all nod, trailing off and leaving the two alone.

"Hey lil J!" Gavin shouts, Jeremy glances at the excited bird, catching the moment the boy drops the trench coat and his beautiful, large wings stretch fully in the room. The room is spacious, if not a little messy, so nobody is concerned the bird will knock anything over. Not that he doesn't, a picture frame drops off a shelf but the bird is quick to grab it and yell "It didn't break!"

It's only a few seconds after the stunned silence from the boy exposing himself that everyone is ripping off hats and pulling tails from their places tucked under pants. Sighing in content and stroking any messy fur down Jeremy sits on a nearby couch. He sees a nest lying on the other end so he presses himself hard against the edge so he doesn't bother anyone's 'spot'

"Hey Ryan," The large, but seemingly gentle lion-brid named Jack calls, the bull pops his head up from where he was helping Ray get his large ears situated. "Yes?"

"Did you know Burnie? He was a bull..." Jack asks, Ryan shakes his head.

"Well, Geoff told me before we left that Burnie had been living as a human for a long time." Gavin added. Jack nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm telling you, I smell something odd! Like a mouse!"

"C'mon dude, it's probably just Chris."

"I know Chris' scent dude, this isn't him! In fact it smells like more than one rodent!"

The talking on the other side of the wall was easy to hear, and Jeremy shrugged as all eyes flicked between him and the other rodents in the room.

Next thing they knew a dog hybrid was running into the room, followed by an exasperated blonde bird. The dog yelled a frantic "I told you so!" while the bird's wings unconsciously puffed up.

"Who are all of you?!" Miles shouted, Ray flinched, sensitive ears making the already loud sound much worse.

"Uh, we came from the hybrid towns. Who are you?" Michael offered up first, competitively staring down the dog, hissing faintly.

Miles softened, and Kerry finally closed his wings in relief that there didn't seem to be any danger. "Well, I'm Miles Luna. I live here." He explained. He reached out his hand for a handshake but Michael only glanced at it before stomping off.

Ryan walked up, taking control of the situation "Sorry, he doesn't really like dogs. I'm Ryan."

"Oh thank god! I haven't seen another bird hybrid in so long!" Gavin was shouting, as usual, at the more timid seeming bird. Kerry nodded. "Yeah, me either."

"What are you all yelling for?" There was a grumpy voice coming from the doorway, the aforementioned mouse hybrid sleepily rubbing his eyes. He seemed younger than most of the others, everyone else being teens or in their early twenties for Geoff and Jack.

The younger boy pouted, he seemed to be about six and automatically Jeremy, and probably the other rodents, parental instincts for their own kind kicked in, but before any of them could try and help the strange child there was a sigh and Burnie was picking up the little mouse.

"What did I say about being quiet, some were still sleeping?" Burnie asks, rubbing his eyes with one hand as the other holds the mouse on his hip. The boy immediately starting to doze off again.

Everyone glances around guiltily, Ray's ears are shoved back in shame as he watches the younger rodent be toted away by a grumpy Burnie.

Trevor is the first to speak after the two leave, the anteater glancing around the living room before his eyes meet the dog standing in the center "Miles, was it, uh. Would you mind me asking something?"

Miles shakes his head "Go for it"

"What kind of dog are you?"

Miles chuckles. "Border Collie."

"That's so cool!" Gavin is hopping away from Kerrie, the other bird breathing a silent sigh of relief. He gets up next to Miles "Can I touch your ears?"

"Go for it!" Miles allows, Gavin is rubbing his ears before Miles can even finish his sentence.

There's a quiet shuffling out in the hall, Jeremy catching the sound easily with his massive ears. A smiley bat with long hair shuffles in, a chubby toddler with kitty ears too big for his head following after, gripping the bat's wing. "Oh, hello?" The teen says in confusion, picking up the toddler and resting him on his hip.

"Are you a bat?" Gavin shrieks. Immediately forgetting about Miles' ears in favor of another winged hybrid. The boy in the bat's arms whines with the sudden noise and proximity of the bird.

"It's alright Andrew." The bat comforts the toddler, gently pushing Gavin back. Andrew tucks his head in the bat's neck.

"Did we wake him up too? Usually he's a heavier sleeper than Chris?" Miles asks, patting the toddler's shoulder. The bat sighs "No, you woke up Chris and Chris woke him up."

"Yikes." Kerrie says, reaching for the kitten. The bat hands him over and comes forward to introduce himself to the new group.

"Hello, I'm Jon Risinger. I assume you're the group from the forest towns?" 

"Wait, how did you know they were coming? Why didn't anyone tell us?"

Jon smiles "You learn things taking care of the kids. You should try it sometime!"

Miles pouts as Jon grins teasingly. Jon turns back to the group "Speaking of which, no new kids? Burnie said you guys where bringing some?"

Ray stands up abruptly, shuffling away with a quiet "I'm going to look for a bathroom." Jon's face softens as he recognizes what must've happened.

"Oh, ah, sorry." He says awkwardly. Andrew lets out a cry and squirms in Miles' arms so Jon takes the kid back and leaves "To try and get him back to sleep"

Miles' scratches the back of his neck "Um, I think you guys should meet Gus!" He exclaims, rushing away to look for whoever 'Gus' is. Kerrie takes another glance around the room before nodding and following behind the puppy.

"This place has some interesting characters, that's for sure." Geoff mutters

Finally, Burnie comes back. Muttering about children and beds. "You people do realize that its five in the morning. Don't ask why those two were up. I don't even know, but this place is filled with sleeping animals. Some with worse tempers than Chris."

The group all go silent. Nodding in embarrassment. "Thank you. Now, I better show you to your rooms. Now keep in mind, you'll have to share with like species. I hope you don't mind. If you do, too bad."

Burnie gestures for everyone to get up and follow them.

"Wait, has Ray come back yet?" Gavin asks, wings flapping behind him as he enjoys the freedom of being outside that trench coat.

"No, I'll go look for him. I already know where I'm sleeping." Geoff says, stepping away from the group to search for a rabbit.

"Okay, you three, Jeremy, Trevor, Matt. This room here is yours, Ray will also be in here." Burnie tells them. Jeremy pokes his head in the door. There are a few people sitting around on beds or lounging on the couches in the corner. There's a video game system hooked up and a few rodents are crowded around it as the music floats through the room. the windows are all wide open and there are some mice shuffling around cleaning the place up. Burnie waits until everyone gets out the doorway before quietly shutting the door.

the next room the group comes across has a massive door and dents in the doorway from what Jeremy assumes is horns of various shapes and sizes. The door opens to a large, darkened room with towering predators. "Geoff, Jack and Ryan will go in here." Burnie explains. Jeremy shuffles back from his spot in the front, standing beside his new roommates, Matt and Trevor.

"Gavin, you will stay in here." Burnie goes a couple doors over. Stopping in front of another wide doorway, its opens up into a room that, somehow, is much taller than the other two, almost like they had cut into the second floor. There are various branches hanging in the room, a large window cut into the roof. The one they now know as Kerrie is stretched out over a branch. A girl with wide, colorful parrot wings on the branch under him. Gavin looks like he's about to run in the room and take off flying but Burnie shuts the door, much to the bird's complaint.

"And the last one you guys will need is this one." The next door is the size of the rodent one, and has various scratches and nicks in the wood. Burnie opens the door and what looks like an entire cat section of a pet store greets them. There is a human sized cat tree as well as a smaller scale jungle-gym on one side of the room. The other wall lined with beds. A few appear to have cat hybrids curled up in them. Burnie closes the door quietly "Now, we're about to have a wakeup call. You can all sit in the living room."

The group shuffles away, seeing Burnie pick up a megaphone and begin adjusting it before starting the morning's announcements. Speakers along the hallways and in the living room alert them that he's telling everyone to meet up in the giant living room. 

Geoff follows them with Ray, Ray mumbling about just needing to use the bathroom. Geoff responds with "Sure, buddy."

They hear people shuffling in immediately, Jon being the first to step in carrying Andy on one hip and another baby the group hasn't met on the other. Behind him follows a blonde woman with a pair of light ears and a tiny tail. Trailing behind her is a sleepy Chris sucking on a sippy cup.

Miles and Kerrie come in, Kerrie settling himself in the nest on the couch silently, Miles sitting criss-cross on the floor beside him.

Then its like a constant stream of people. Jeremy, despite living in a hybrid village all of his life, has never seen this many different hybrids in one place. From a towering Giraffe hybrid with only a slightly longer than normal neck to a short, excited parrot hybrid with bright blue hair. He scoots a little closer to Matt as they all pile in. A buff golden retriever hybrid who looked about 16 sits next to Jeremy, eyeing him before shrugging and turning towards Miles to strike up a conversation.

Eventually, Jeremy supposes, everyone finally arrives, Burnie steps in, clearing his throat to get the room's attention. Nobody stops talking.

"Alright, everyone," he says, but people seem to only get louder. Burnie groans and hits his palm to his face. To his right, a girl shakes her head and stands up, cupping her hands around her mouth before screaming at the top of her lungs "Everyone shut up!"

The loud shout quiets everyone. Burnie sighs, "Thanks, Ashley."

The girl nods proudly, sitting back to the floor gracefully.

"Okay, now that you've all shut your dumb mouths" There are some gripes of denial around the room. "I have some important news to tell you."

Burnie gestures to the new group. They'd all mostly kept together, everyone situated on the left side of the room. "These people are from the original hybrid villages, y'know, the ones your parents all lived in."

There's a "Woah" from the dog beside him, Jeremy waves with a laugh as he stares in astonishment.

"I know it's been a while since we've had this many people come in at once, but I want you all to treat them well."

"Gosh, what do you think we are Burnie? Heathens?" Miles blurts out. The whole place is filled with laughter, apart from the new group who are quiet in their confusion or chuckling awkwardly.

Burnie rolls his eyes in a way that Jeremy would think a leader wouldn't, the Burnie flicks a middle finger up and the laughter increases in volume tenfold. Jeremy completely stunned.

"There's children here, Burnie!" Jon scolds, kicking Burnie in the foot from his spot on the floor. Andy, in his lap, whines at the movement, smacking Jon in the arm in his, frankly adorable, baby anger.

"Anyway." Burnie raises his voice again as the laughter begins to taper off. "They will need someone to help them out, show them the ropes. So I will be assigning a buddy to two or three of them. Jon?"

Jon shrugs "Someone who knows how to change a diaper, preferably."

"Why, they gotta change yours?" A man shouts from his spot in the corner of the room. He's got a beaver tail, if Jeremy is guessing correctly. the laughter in the room starts up again. Jon rolling his eyes "I walked right into that one."

"Okay, Jon's with Gavin and Ryan."

Ryan shoots a thumbs up, and Gavin starts whispering to Michael about not actually knowing how to change a diaper.

"Michael and Ray with Gus."

"Wow, no warning whatsoever." A guy with a long tail and big ears says, Jeremy assumes he's Gus.

"Jeremy, Trevor, and Matt. You three go with Joel." Jeremy sees the guy with the beaver tail and the extra long legs wave.

And Jack and Geoff go with me."

Jeremy secretly thinks that Burnie got the best deal.

"Now, onto other announcements..." Burnie goes on the yelling about a broken sink and how 'someone left a fork in the drain! Who does that!? Don't do that!'

This will be interesting is all Jeremy can think, watching Burnie manage to argue with several people at once and still seem like the one who's right.

Yep. Very, very interesting.


	2. I’m not afraid of God. I am afraid of man

Jeremy falls into step with Ray, the rabbit rambling about a bunny in their room named "Mica" and how the girl had introduced him to "Pokemon" on these consoles called "DS"s. Jeremy confusedly tries to keep up but it is hard to listen when his ears are squished under a cowboy hat and his tail tucked in a purple blazer.

Trevor and Matt were slightly ahead of them, excitedly following their two leaders, Joel and Gus. Gus was complaining about having to go outside, especially to lead the four teenagers. The rodent hybrids had begged to go outside, get a breath of fresh air. They were only allowed to as long as they disguised themselves properly and their 'buddies' went along to lead them. Geoff had rambled and warned them. Urging them to be cautious in the outside world with all the humans milling about. Jeremy wondered, as they walked, what it was like for them. Not having a puffy tail or big wings or even a pair of fuzzy ears on their heads. 

He eyed a tall, bald man. He was so, plain. His ears were the regular human ones that Gavin and Geoff had, but there were no horns beside them. There was no pair of feathers that stretched over his head behind him. Nothing.

"We can stop here, I want a bagel." Gus says. The place they stopped at is the same little store the group had passed a few days before. 

Gus pulls out a wallet. The teens following him all stop, glancing at each other as the man steps inside.

"You don't have any money." Joel sighs, he grabs his wallet out as well "Here. I'll give you each five bucks, get yourselves something."

Trevor takes their money eagerly, dispersing it through their group. The four step in, seeing Gus already ordering. They chat for a couple minutes trying to figure out what human food would be good and what to order.

"Hurry." Gus tells them, Jeremy hops in front of the group, ordering a bagel and chamomile tea.

"Tea? I bet it tastes like sewage water." Trevor sasses, Jeremy barks out a laugh at him.

"Your loss, Trevor." Jeremy says absentmindedly, watching the group leaders head to a small two-person table in the corner of the little shop. Once he gets his order he claims the booth next to them for the rest of the rodents.

As the rest of them order he continues to watch the people around him, shifting his focus to the girl working at the counter, she had blonde hair that was tucked in a bun so it wouldn't get in the way while she bustled around the shop working and making orders.

She was calm, and very quiet, but she smiled brightly at every customer and always gave a bright "My pleasure!" When someone thanked her. He could tell there was no way she was hiding any animal features, as she was fairly skinny with well fitting clothes, and her short hair left no room for ears or antlers of any kind.

He shifts his focus to a man walking into the shop as the other three join him in the booth. The man is tall, with shaggy hair. He glances around the room as if he's worried.

They all chat with each other, joking and teasing. Jeremy occasionally laughs or nods along to what they say, but he isn't paying much attention. He can't take his eyes off this man, he can feel his ears twitching with the stress radiating from his stomach. He has a bad feeling, something feels off and he doesn't know what but he can feel something is going to happen.

"C'mon Jeremy? You just flat out ignoring our existence now?" Matt asks, Jeremy bounces in his spot before standing up quickly "I have to use the bathroom."

"Oh, do you wa-" Trevor starts, but Jeremy has scrambled out of the room before he can say anything else.

Jeremy closes the bathroom door behind him quickly, standing with his hands on both sides of the sink and staring into the mirror.

He sighs, glancing into each of the stalls before pulling off his cowboy hat and gently smoothing the fur on his giant ears. He's slowly working through a small tangle on the tip of his left ear when the door starts slowly opening.

Satisfied with the look of his left ear he moves the the right, beginning at the base on his scalp and brushing upwards with his nails. He's silent until he notices someone behind him in the mirror, staring in shock and interest.

Jeremy gasps loudly, spinning on his heel and slapping the hat back onto his head.

It's the man that had walked into the shop a few minutes earlier. His paranoid look from earlier is replaced with shock and curiosity.

"What.. are those?" The man asks, pointing toward Jeremy's head. Jeremy laughs nervously "What man? It's chilly so I'm wearing two hats."

The man shakes his head "That's not a hat. They're beautiful. Can I see?" He steps closer to Jeremy, and Jeremy steps backward until his back hits the sink.

"What are you talking about? Back up dude I need some personal space!" Jeremy would never admit that his hands are starting to shake. The man continues to get closer, reaching up and knocking the cowboy hat off Jeremy's head and into the sink behind him.

"Wow." The man says, eyes filled with wonder and something predatory. The man has a hand wrapped around the base of one of Jeremy's ears before he realizes what's happening, and he yanks Jeremy forward by his ear.

"This is just so. . . Interesting, they're actually attached to your head, was this some sort of body modification surgery?" Jeremy nods quickly "Yeah! Just a body modification! Let go please!"

The man smirks, shaggy hair falling in front of his eyes as he looks down at Jeremy. He slowly runs his fingers up Jeremy's ear, until he reaches the end and pinches it as hard as he can.

"Ouch! Stop!" Jeremy yelps, the man's eyes widen.

"You can feel that? That's pretty advanced for a body modification! How did they accomplish that exactly? I know that amputees can sometimes have feelings in a prosthetic but I've never heard of having feeling on a body modification like this."

The man continues to feel around Jeremy's ears, Jeremy too frozen in fear and confusion to fight him off.

He moves from Jeremy's ears down the side of his head, eyebrows tangling together as he reaches Jeremy's jaw.

"What the hell?"

He brushes back Jeremy's hair, and Jeremy realizes what he's looking for.

"You have no ears. . ."

"Yes I do!" Jeremy says without thinking, the man stares into his face, and then goes back to feeling around Jeremy's ears, now starting to look inside them.

Jeremy finally starts to unfreeze, he tries to shove the man away but the man stops his push by grabbing his wrists in one hand.

"Let me go! Seriously!" Jeremy yells, trying to twist his hands out of the man's grip. But he is unsuccessful as the man continues to feel around his ears.

"What kind of ears are these anyway? Some sort of mouse?" 

"No! Can you just let me go!"

The door bursts open suddenly, Gus and Joel stepping in the doorway. Jeremy is stuck against the sink, and the man freezes in front of him, turning to look at the two that just came in and dropping his grip on Jeremy in shock.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gus asks, stepping forward and grabbing Jeremy's arm to yank him away, Jeremy grabs his hat out of the sink and shoves it back over his ears quickly.

"He got a little too curious about my body mods." Jeremy blurts, trying to keep up the story. Gus' eyes narrow at him but he nods minutely.

"You need to back off man. You have no right to be in anyone's space like that." Gus scolds. Joel ushers them out of the bathroom quickly. 

The rest of the group is outside the bathroom waiting worriedly. Trevor raises his eyebrows in worry whenever the three of them shuffle out of the bathroom. "We need to leave. Right now, get moving!" Joel orders them.

They speedwalk out, Jeremy has his head down but he hears the girl at the counter telling them to have a nice day.

~~~~~  
"What were you thinking Jeremy? You could've gotten yourself and everyone else killed! Not to mention we now have to worry about this guy knowing something!"

"I'm sorry Geoff! I don't know what you expect me to say!"

Geoff sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. For the past hour he has been scolding Jeremy, Burnie sits behind him with his head in his hands.

"Okay. I'm done with this right now. I need to talk to Burnie about how we're going to handle this."

Jeremy quietly leaves. When he steps out the door Matt is waiting on the other side, he looks nervous but Jeremy just walks past.

"What did they say man? You're staying right?"

"What are they going to do? Send me back?"

Matt sighs, taking his glasses off so he can rub his eyes.

"Why don't we just go ahead to bed. I think you need some rest."

Jeremy nods, following Matt to the rodent room. 

~~~~~~~

As Jeremy brushes his teeth in the rodent men's bathroom, he stares at his reflection. This time he can see people bustling about, Ray is behind him reading a book while he waits for one of the showers to be free, and there's another guy fiddling with his beard to his left.

Jeremy just feels stupid, he's put the others at risk because of one bad decision. He could've locked the bathroom door, or at least went into a stall to mess with his ears. And even without doing that, he could've fought the guy off. Why did he have to freeze up like he did?

At least the man was left behind them. Now that they're away from him there's no risk of him actually hurting any of the hybrids.

Jeremy wonders briefly if the man posted about it on the 'internet', Jeremy had heard from some of the hybrids that had been in human society for longer about the internet. Where people can post things that could be seen around the whole world. Jeremy had even been allowed to scroll through "twitter" for a bit before Gavin excitedly snatched up the phone to see 'a website about birds.'

Whatever. Jon had told him the day before that you can't believe everything you read on the internet (After he'd read an article about getting a free boat for simply clicking a link)

Nobody would believe the man anyway. They were safe, with just one crazy dude having seen something a bit confusing.

No big deal.


	3. We laugh, we cry. Like babies in the night

Jeremy stirs as he hears a baby wailing in the room over, he knows that someone else will handle it but he's not able to fall asleep anyway with his mind racing. 

He is heading out the room when he hears through the wall that the baby is noticably calming down. Sure, he could go back to bed, but he hasn't explored all of the building yet, including the nursery. So he figures he should see what it looks like at least. Not to mention see some precious kiddos.

He opens the door quietly, careful to not disturb the other children in the room. He sees Jon Risinger first, he's quietly talking to someone sitting in a giant rocking chair.

Jon notices him in the doorway "Oh, hey Jeremy!" He says quietly, but kindly. The person in the chair turns around and he realizes it's Ray, with a toddler in his lap.

"Hey, I thought I heard some crying in here and was wondering if I could help, but I guess you have it handled. . ." Jeremy trails off.

"That's just what Ray said. Your group really does like caring for kids don't you guys?"

Jeremy smiles sadly, as he sees Ray dip his head down and focus on the kid slowly falling asleep in his lap.

"Yeah. I guess you could say that."

Jon smiles at him kindly "Well. We can always use more help in the nursery. If you guys want to help, let me know and I'll call you over."

"I thought I wouldn't be able to take care of any kids ever again. Not after what happened." Ray says quietly.

Jon winces "Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

Ray glances at Jeremy, and Jeremy shrugs in response.

"Well. . ." Ray starts, patting the baby in his arms' back gently, "Whenever we were planning to leave our town, to come here after all the deforestation issues, we were planning on traveling with a few other hybrid types. We went to each type's habitat in order to plan together. On the journey between our rodent village and the bird forest our two little ones were exploring around the trees. And a human came around. We had to run away, but nobody realized that the kids weren't with our group. . . We-" Ray stops, choking on his words.

"Did the human find them?" Jon asks with wide eyes.

"No, if the human had found them we would've known." Ray states, Jeremy takes a seat in the last adult sized chair in the room beside Ray.

Ray sighs and continues "We think the kids hid somewhere and got lost. We looked for them for months, for hours every day up until the day we had to leave or we would've been caught by humans. But by that time there's no way they could've survived on their own for that long anyway." Ray's voice shakes with the last sentence, and Jon runs his fingers through his hair with a sad sigh.

"Were either of you related to them?" Jon asks slowly, Jeremy shakes his head and looks at Ray.

"One of them was my little brother, Alex. The other was a family friend's daughter, Bethany"

"Wow. I'm really sorry Ray."

Ray gives him a sad smile "I think he's asleep finally" Ray slowly gets up, and gently lays the baby in a crib.

"I think we should all get to sleep." Jon says, leading them quietly out of the nursery and walking them back to the rodent room.

"Goodnight, sleep well you two." Jon says, patting Ray on the back. 

They both smile at him warmly, "Night, Jon." Jeremy answers.


	4. You can read it on your phone

Barbara Dunkelman, a bright blonde fox hybrid, around 18 years old, bursts into the rodent room early one Saturday morning. She calls Jeremy, Ray, Matt and Trevor over frantically.

"You three need to see this." She says, her face grave. Jeremy pales at the idea of what could cause her so much panic, and why the three of them are involved.

She leads the three of them into a small meeting room off the hall of the living area. Gus, Joel, Burnie and Geoff are in the room already, sitting at a large meeting table and sharing Barbara's same worried look.

"What happened?" Trevor asks. Burnie gestures for them all to sit down while Barbara logs into a computer and connects it up to a projector on the wall so everyone can see what's going on.

"I was on twitter this morning, and I noticed something strange was trending. #AnimalEars. I was curious so I clicked it and found this." They wait with bated breath as Barbara clicks something on the laptop.

She pulls up a post, by a man named Alvin Rodriguez. 

@ Alvinrod Alvin Rodriguez 11:17 AM [I was at a shop in Austin today and I saw a dude with #AnimalEars, but no human ears. The ears even had holes. The guy acted super weird too. Said they were body mods]

The thread continued, a second tweet saying [Those were no body mods. I've never seen anything like it but there's no way a human could attach ears so perfectly.]

Jeremy stopped reading the posts then, dropping his face into his hands and trying to regulate his breathing. This couldn't be happening. There's no way.

"Oh my God." Trevor gasps out. Jeremy forces himself to breathe slowly in an attempt to keep from hyperventilating.

Jeremy looks up after a few seconds, seeing Barbara is now scrolling slowly through responses from the general public.

Some people are calling the guy crazy and a liar. Saying this is some sort of hoax. Then Alvin responds with a video. The text attached reads [My girlfriend got me this. He was with a group. They all seem strange if you ask me.]

Barbara clicks the video, and Jeremy gasps when he sees security camera footage.

It's an overhead camera. Pointed toward the counter and door at first, it shows them all come into the shop and ordering. It then cuts to Jeremy walking into the bathroom, where he notices you can just slightly see ears poking out the back of his cowboy hat.

After Jeremy enters the bathroom it cuts again, Gus and Joel are seen walking up to the door, and the camera catches their backs in the doorway for a moment. Trevor, Ray and Matt can be seen in the corner of the video, waiting for the rest of their group.

Gus steps forward and after another minute Joel does aswell. Leading the two out of the bathroom and catching Matt's arm to lead the other three out of the store. Jeremy's ears are more clearly visible this time, with a couple inches clearly poking out of one of the sides of his hat.

The video cuts again, pointing at the counter and door again. The six of them are quickly shuffling out the door. The employee waves at their group but they barely acknowledge her. 

A couple seconds later Alvin comes into the camera's view again, walking up the employee and talking to her, and then pointing toward the camera.

As the video ends Jeremy finds himself looking at his shocked expression in his reflection on the now black screen. His eyes are blown wide and his eyebrows are knit together.

The rest of the group is silent as Barbara closes the video out of fullscreen and continues to scroll down the responses. 

There are so many responses. A bunch of people saying [He's just a furry!] Some saying they are aliens or creatures of some sort. One man named 'Shane' tweets [About this whole #AnimalEars situation, I think they're time travelers from a time where body modifications to get useful traits from animals is common.]

One comment states [You can clearly see ears from under the short ones hat] and another responds with [Yeah, and some sort of fur poking under the bottom of his jacket aswell. And if you look closely, also under the one with the beanie's hat] Jeremy realizes they're talking about Ray, and glances towards him to see that Ray's ears are pulled harshly back, and the thin whiskers on his cheeks are twitching nervously.

"I'm going to stop, you guys look like you're going to have heart attacks as is. But they're finding stuff on everyone. They notice that Matt's pants have a strange bulge in the back, and that Gus seems to have very very baggy pants on." Barbara informs them.

Geoff runs a hand through his hair, avoiding his horns. Gus has stood up and started pacing. Burnie is scrubbing over his eyes and Joel has his chin resting on his fist as he stares at the table, seemingly deep in thought.

"What are we going to do?" Gus asks. Stopping his pacing beside Burnie.

Burnie looks up "There's not much we can do. We could relocate but that's a huge process and we aren't even sure that this is going to be a big issue. It could very well blow over and be mostly forgotten about like most things on twitter do. And there's not exactly a way for them to link you guys to this building."

"Yeah. We should just lay low until this all blows over." Joel responds.

The adults in the room continue to discuss the situation. But Jeremy is distracted by a response at the bottom of the screen. The others don't seem to have noticed it but it catches Jeremy's attention.

@ DYMikeTheories Darren Michaels] 12:24 PM: [I think I know what this is. Message me man, I've got an idea of how we can figure this all out. I've seen something like this before]


	5. Is it a human trait, or is it learned behavior?

Jeremy holds his breath, walking through the hallways he can feel everyone's eyes on him. Word spread very quickly and before he knew it everyone was aware of the situation. Most electronics had been taken in an effort to make sure no more information was leaked or found, but some still managed to find the stories online. Some glared at him angrily while others just avoided his eyes nervously.

He steps into Burnie's office, meeting Geoff's eyes for a split second before he shamefully angles his eyes back down.

"-aren't calming down as quickly as I thought they would." Jeremy catches the end of Burnie's sentence and it makes his throat go dry, he swallows nervously.

Burnie turns to him, face hard but softening as he sees the state Jeremy is in. "Hey Jeremy. You look terrible."

Jeremy feels his neck heat up, he's sure his face has turned an ugly, splotchy shade of red. He combs through his hair with his fingers in an attempt to tidy himself up. And looks away in shame from the other two.

A basket on the table by the door catches his eye, it has all the confiscated electronics and Jeremy can see his phone sitting right on top.

Geoff closes the door, leaving Jeremy alone with the two men. He looks back toward Burnie respectfully, pretending he didn't see the basket.

"Has anyone said anything to you? I know it's tense around here." Burnie asks. Jeremy knows he isn't asking just to know if Jeremy is being bullied though. Burnie wants to know how much the other hybrids know. If the other hybrids have been online somehow after all electronics were confiscated.

"No one really wants to talk to me now. I wouldn't know what they're saying if I wanted to." Jeremy tells them honestly.

Burnie sits down, running his hand over his face with a sigh. "Okay. I see."

"What about Matt?" Geoff asks, knowing Jeremy and Matt had been best friends long before Jeremy knew any of the other hybrids. Jeremy smiles "Matt still does, but he's not that close to anyone else either."

Geoff cracks a smile "Calling him out like that? Damn."

Jeremy smiles back, but once Geoff looks away his smile drops.

"I'm going to go." Jeremy mumbles after a moment of silence. The other men in the room nod and smile gently at him.

Jeremy waits until the other two turn back toward each other and start talking to leave. He quietly takes his phone from the basket and slips it into his pocket.

'Just give it time, it will blow over' Jeremy tells himself. he shuffles down the hall with his head down, until he comes up to the doorway to one of the lounge rooms. He stops at the doorway when he hears what sounds like a heated debate from inside.

"Do you really think they're just forgiving him? How could they? He is ruining our lives!" He doesn't recognize the voice but he knows immediately that they must be talking about him.

"It was an accident. You know that." Ryan is defending him, it sounds like. Hbe pokes his head around the door to see Ryan glaring at another hybrid, Jeremy thinks he remembers him being introduced as Blaine at some point.

"It wasn't just an accident. An accident is spilling food on your shirt. This was him being stupid and not taking any kind of caution despite that being the only real rule!"

"It could've been anyone." Jack speaks up, standing from his spot on the couch.

"No. Because we aren't that stupid. But as soon as your group comes this happens." Blaine bites back, showing his canines.

Jack looks over and catches sight of Jeremy, frowning.

"You want to say that to my face, Blaine?" Jeremy growls. Normally his instincts would keep him from saying something like this but, with the way his life has been going recently he can't bring himself to care.

That's not very cautious of him, he thinks.

Blaine turns quickly in surprise, before his face hardens again. "Yes. I will, because I'm not a coward who avoids taking responsibilty."

Jeremy steps forward "You think I'm not taking responsibility? What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Maybe we should calm-" Jack starts but Blaine's growl cuts him off.

"Jeremy, how about you leave! Ever since you got here it's been a disaster." Blaine barks. Jeremy freezes, face burning in anger.

"Yeah and do what? I can't go home! This place is all I have!" 

"You think you're the only one? There are children here who are in danger now because you couldn't do the one thing all hybrids are supposed to do. Keep it a secret!"

Before Jeremy can say anything in response Burnie stomps in, Geoff right at his side. "What is all this arguing about?" He bellows. Everyone in the room deflates instantly.

"I-" Blaine starts but Burnie cuts him off.

"Blaine. I need to speak to you privately. Geoff, speak to these three will you?"

Geoff nods, face too neutral to show what he's feeling. Jeremy considers it even scarier than if he had been visibly irate.

Blaine and Burnie leave the room. And Geoff gestures for them to all sit on the couch against a wall.

The three sit down silently. Jeremy feels intimidated being the youngest person surrounded by people in their late teens and early twenties.

"Do you three think this is appropriate? Picking fights with the people here? The people who welcomed us into their home even. . . With everything going on." Geoff avoids mentioning it but Jeremy still stiffens and feels his face burn.

"None of us picked a fight, Geoff." Jack explains.

"Yeah, in fact I think this was all Blaine's fault!" Jeremy yells, the three around him startling at the sudden noise.

"What do you mean, Jeremy?" Geoff asks.

"What? You didn't hear what Blaine was saying?" Jeremy feels his blood boiling, he's being scolded because of course Geoff assumed it was his fault. He'd already screwed up so much. It's no wonder he would think so.

"No, Jeremy, I didn't. But I still don't think the way you responded was fair."

Ryan starts. "Geoff he was just defending hims-"

Jeremy interrupts with a frustrated sigh, telling him "I just treated him the same way he's treating me, Geoff! I can't believe you're taking his side!"

"I'm not taking his si-"

"you know what? I guess it's not just Blaine, it's not even just the people who lived here originally. Everyone wants me to leave." Jeremy stands up, running out of the room before anyone else can respond

Maybe he just should leave. Maybe they would be safe then.


	6. One man can build a bomb

Jeremy slows down from running, if anyone followed him then he should've lost them by now. He looks around to see he is near the bird room, there's a little storage closet to his left so he steps in.

He sees all the supplies in the room and considers just grabbing the stuff and booking it. Running out the door and never looking back. Maybe, he thinks.

He pats his pockets, remembering how he'd snuck his phone from Burnie's office. He pushes in the code, thankful that it's not dead.

He opens twitter, seeing that somehow '#FurriesOrCreatures' is still number three on trending, only beat by something about the Kardashians and yet another celebrity having an "OverParty"

He's amazed by what normal humans are interested in.

Against his better judgement (And the rules. Blaine would have a field day if he found out) Jeremy clicks on the third trending topic. Pulling up thousands of people talking about him and his friends, and others talking about their experiences with "Real Furries" Which is apparently what some people have taken to calling them. Some he can immediately spot as complete bull. One says they knew a kid from their school who was so smelly and dirty that he must have been a human pig. 

Jeremy snorts knowing that there were some hybrids in that very building who would be quite offended.

Jeremy can't resist scrolling for longer, some of the tweets give him comfort, people cracking jokes and saying that the serious ones are just crazy conspiracy theorists or trolls.

Others make him freeze up. One thread with over 60k likes tells the story of a guy from this town running into a teenage girl with 'Horns sticking out of her hair. Literal horns, I swear they looked so real.' 

Another talks about a couple coming into a coffee shop in LA, where the writer works. She claims the pair are very friendly, but "strange" and that she could swear she's seen golden dog ears on both of them. 

'I thought it was some weird kink thing, but now seeing that other people have had similar experiences I'm thinking there's something else to it.

Jeremy shudders, but feels comfort in the fact they're in LA. I mean, it's LA. Wild stuff happens there.

He glances up at the closet around him again, would they mind, really. If he just disappeared. Maybe their problems would go away if the source of those problems went away.

Looking back at his phone he notices another tweet that catches his eye. The first sentence of the tweet reads "ATTENTION HYBRID BELIEVERS"

Jeremy's eyes widen as he scrolls down and reads the rest. He can't believe his eyes.

He can't run away now, not after reading this. He needs to tell everyone!


	7. Just like animals, but with far less grace

Burnie's face pales with the news, and he grabs Jeremy's phone from his hand, needing to read it with his own eyes. 

@DYMikeTheories   
ATTENTION HYBRID BELIEVERS I believe I've found where they are located. Email me for details, we will be exploring the place as a group to find out once and for all if these people really are half animal.

Burnie sits the phone on his desk. Gus, Geoff, and Matt Hullum crowd around the small screen.

"We need to leave, evacuate. Gus set off the alarm."

Gus sits at Burnie's desk, typing at the computer for a moment before he pauses and looks up at Burnie.

"Are you sure? They might not even be talking about this building."

"It's too big a risk. Alarm." Burnie commands, Gus sighs and clicks the mouse.

The lights immediately dim, and a voice says "Please gather in the main room. It is urgent."

Jeremy hears a lot of panicked voices from outside. The men around him are rushing around grabbing their laptops, documents, and who knows what else.

Jeremy just stands still. It's been a while since he read the tweet and it still feels as if a carpet was pulled out from under him. This place was supposed to be safe. It was their last chance at a place to be safe and hidden from humans.

And he'd ruined it.

"Come on Jeremy." Geoff tells him softly. He's been silent since he read the tweet, but he lays his hand on Jeremy's shoulder to lead him out of the office.

They walk as a group to the main room. Everyone is sitting on the couches and Jeremy is reminded of just a couple weeks ago when his group had come here. Nervous but full of hope and finally feeling safe.

Almost everyone in the room erupts with questions once they walk in and that memory is broken.

"Quiet!" Burnie commands. And everyone quiets down, waiting nervously for what an emergency meeting could be called for. 

"Long story short, we have to evacuate." 

The room goes from silent to louder than before immediately. People are yelling, people are asking questions. A couple of the really young children begin to cry.

Jeremy feels sick. "I'll be in the head office. I'm sorry." He tells Geoff. Not even letting the man get a word in edgewise before he leaves.

-

The door opens quietly but Jeremy is watching it like a hawk. Gus, Geoff, Burnie and Matt Hullum walk in. Each sitting around the large meeting table.

"When are we leaving?" Jeremy asks. Burnie checks his watch.

"Eleven hours and thirty-seven minutes. Everyone should be completely packed by then."

"Oh." Jeremy says.

"Go ahead and pack Jeremy." Gus tells him. So Jeremy leaves obediently.

By the time he gets to the rodent room he is holding back tears, but he takes a deep breath and steels himself, he can't go in their like this.

The door swings open, and Matt is standing there in the doorway. He makes eye contact with Jeremy.

When Jeremy sees the way his eyebrow furrows in concern he breaks. The tears he's been holding in come flooding out.

"Oh, Jeremy." Matt says softly. His best friend closes the door behind him, grabbing Jeremy's arm and leading him to the nearest empty room, which is the dining room.

He sits him at one of the tables, and he sits beside him. "Jeremy. I'm so sorry."

Jeremy shakes his head "I should be sorry. You know this is all my fault. Everyone does. Why won't you just admit it?"

"You know they're just scared. They blame you because they knew this would happen eventually. You just happened to be the one unlucky enough to be caught up in it."

Matt lays his hand on Jeremy's arm. And Jeremy has to use his other hand to hide his face and wipe his tears.

"This isn't your fault. And we'll figure it out. It sounds like Burnie already has a plan in place, he knew this would happen. He just didn't know when."

Jeremy nods, and he tips forward to drop his head on Matt's shoulder.

"You're my best friend."

"I know." He can basically hear Matt's smirk from his spot against his shoulder. "Now, let's get packed. I know you will never stop complaining if you don't have all your comfy tail tucking pants with you."

Jeremy nods, smiling at Matt as the two get up to go pack.

He pauses in the doorway, putting his hand out to stop Matt. 

"Thank you. Again, you're loyal even through all of this and that's just. Awesome. Thank you."

Matt slings an arm over Jeremy's shoulders "Just say you love me and go, you sap." He snarks, Jeremy elbows his side gently as the two laugh.


	8. Humans aren’t gonna behave

Burnie pops his head in the rodent room. Everyone is pretty much packed, and is now just quietly discussing everything with the people around them. "Get some rest before tomorrow, we're leaving in eight hours." He tells them, and people disperse to their beds.

"Night Jeremy" Matt tells him from the bed beside him. He rolls over and starts snoring before Jeremy can even respond, making Jeremy laugh.

Jeremy feels so much lighter, sure he's still nervous but after talking to Matt he realizes everything is going to be okay. He trusts Burnie and he knows the man know's what he's doing.

So Jeremy relaxes, and falls into a dreamless sleep quickly.

-

Jeremy startles awake at the loud siren and the bright flashing red lights over the otherwise dark room.

"What is going on?" he hears Ray ask from a couple of beds down, and he can vaguely see the outline of Ray's ears standing at attention.

Matt stands out of bed, half asleep "What does that alarm mean?" He asks, Jeremy shrugs.

The door swings open abruptly and Jeremy can't make out who is it but they tell the room to get out of there.

People go for the windows immediately, working at getting the locks off as quickly as they can.

Jeremy, Ray, Trevor and Matt, among a few others, head for the door. Eyes slowly adjusting to the dim lights and flashes of red.

Sprinting through the halls. Jeremy can hear panicked shouts from ahead, in the bird room.

"Let me go you psycho!" Gavin screams, Jeremy sees him being hauled out of the room, wings trapped in some kind of net. The man holding him pulls something out of his pocket and Jeremy freezes when he sees the man stick a syringe in Gavin's neck. The energetic bird twists to try and see what is poking him but he quickly loses conciousness and falls limp in the man's grip. 

"Jeremy come on!" Trevor hisses, he continues running away from the bird room and turns a corner. But Jeremy can't move. It feels like his feet are rooted to the floor.

At least the other rodents seem to have gotten away.

The man holding onto Gavin catches sight of Jeremy. His eyes light up in the creepiest way. "Hey Alvin! I think there's someone you might want to see right here." He says. Shifting his grip on Gavin.

Then the man comes around the corner. And Jeremy feels sick. He would recognize that face anywhere. Even in this dark hallway.

The man grins, baring all of his teeth. And even though this man isn't a hybrid Jeremy could tell he was still a predator.

The lights finally stop flashing, leaving only dim emergency lights on. And the man smiles up at the ceiling before he starts walking towards Jeremy.

"Do you need any help, boss?" The man holding Gavin asks.

"No. I've got this one, thanks Zeke. You take that one to the vans."

The man shrugs and, with a little struggle, manages to lift Gavin into something like a firemans carry.

"I've been looking for you." Alvin says, walking in that slow way that says 'you could run, but you aren't'

Jeremy can feel alarms going off in his brain, even though the ones for the building had finally shut off

The man is a few feet away when Jeremy finally unfreezes.

Jeremy knows chinchilla hybrids can jump to pretty impressive heights. He'd seen people in his old village leap onto roofs. But he's always been too afraid of heights to try it.

But that immediately goes out the window as the man gets closer.

Jeremy leaps over the man's head, and even though Alvin was tall Jeremy could jump higher. He lands behind the man and bolts away before Alvin can comprehend what just happened.

Behind him he can hear the man, presumably over a radio, tell someone "He can jump. Mine can jump."

Jeremy doesn't stop running. The halls are mostly empty by this point but he can hear yelling in the distance. He can't believe this is happening. He can't bear to think this is all his fault but it's all he can think about.

Other than getting out of there of course. He never realized how much of a maze this place really was. Sure he's gotten lost a couple of times, but there was always a friendly face to lead him through. Now he's alone, and too hyped up on adrenaline to stop and think about where he's going.

He thinks back to what the man said. "Mine can jump"

What did this man want from him? To keep him as some sort of pet? He already seems to have claimed him from the other humans. And once again Jeremy had to think, why did it have to be him?

Jeremy finally slows down, he thinks he must've lost the man by now. He sees that next to him is the closet he'd hidden in yesterday. So he takes a glance left and right and sneaks in.

He finally has a second to catch his breath, so he does. He looks around to see if there's anything useful in the closet but it just seems to be cleaning supplies.

But he hears thuds down the halls and realizes he'll have to take what he can, he sees a clothing iron is sitting on the shelf and grabs it up.

Thankfully the steps pass the door and continue down the hall, but he keeps a hold of the iron anyway.

Once the coast seems clear again, and he can't hear and noise from outside the closet door he quietly opens it, the hallway is empty so he continues down the hall towards the front of the building.

He comes up on a larger mammal room, and he recognizes all the nicks in the wood from various horns. The door is still propped open and the room is silent.

He pokes his head in, from what he can see there's nobody there. But hybrids could be hiding somewhere in the room.

He stays silent, walking over to the window, it appears it has already been wedged open.

Jeremy feels as if something finally went right for once, he slings his leg out the window-

"Jeremy!" Someone shouts, he turns his head to see Alvin is behind him, and another human is in the doorway with a tight grip on Trevor.

Alvin grabs Jeremy's waist before Jeremy can get the rest of the way out of the window. "Come on now, I come here for you but you have to make it so difficult." 

Jeremy remembers the iron in his hand.

He swings as hard as he can, and the iron lands on the man's head. Alvin immediately crumpling to the ground. Jeremy drops the weapon in shock, is he dead?

BAM

Jeremy drops to the ground, ears ringing from the loud sound. When he looks up he sees a man pointing a hunting rifle towards the ceiling, where there is likely a bullet hole.

Jeremy doesn't have the time to look, while the chinchilla is still disoriented a human comes and sticks a syringe in his neck.

He tries to pick the iron back up but his fingers feel numb, if he could just get a grip on it he could swing it at the man the way he did with Alvin. 

But his hands are falling limp, his head tilts against the man's calf and he can't find the strength to move it.

His last thought is that he's almost impressed by how fast whatever was in that syringe worked.


	9. Is it in our DNA?

"Jeremy? Jeremy!" Someone is saying his name in his ear. He keeps his eyes shut, hoping they'll just let him sleep for a little longer. They continue repeating his name and put a hand on his shoulder to shake him awake.

He tries to roll away from them but he finally jolts awake when he rolls over his hand and realizes something metal is wrapped around his wrist.

He pops open his eyes to see Gavin is leaning over him, his face is pale and he has a couple of bandages on his forehead.

Jeremy lifts his hands in front of his face, staring at the thick shackles that are chained to the ground.

"Where did they take us?" He asks gruffly.

Gavin's face falls. "I was hoping that you would know."

"I just woke up, I don't know what's going on." Jeremy admits to the bird, Gavin nods back at him.

"Yeah I just woke up a minute ago aswell."

The two fall silent, looking around the room they've been trapped in. He can see that him and the other hybrids have been thrown into large cells with bars, almost like giant cages. There are four cells in the room. Each only large enough to fit a mattress and a small table, and of course the poles on the floor that everyone is chained to.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who's in what cell. In one cell on the wall across the room he can see Jon Risinger holding a sleeping baby Andy. In the cell beside them Trevor had been placed with Barbara. The two are speaking quietly to each other, and even from across the room he can tell they're near tears.

He wants to cry too, if he's honest. He can feel his throat burning. But this is his fault. He got them into this, he can't whine about it now.

Next to them is another cell, inside are Ashley and Miles. Ashley was looking over Miles tail.

There's muffled noise next to him before Gavin taps his shoulder, he turns back towards him, "What did you say?" he asks.

"I asked if you were hurt?" Gavin says, and Jeremy can not for the life of him figure out why he was speaking so quietly. Gavin had a larger than life personality and a loud voice to go with it. Jeremy guesses he was just scared.

"Oh I'm okay, just a headache. Why are you talking so quietly?" Jeremy says. Gavin furrows his eyebrows, then he looks toward Barbara, Jeremy sees her mouth moving but can't make out what she says, but Gavin nods beside him.

"What?" Jeremy prods, frustrated that he can't understand what she's saying.

"She says she thinks your ears are damaged from hearing a gunshot, Trevor is having hearing problems too."

He glances at Trevor and sees the anteater wave with a nervous smile.

"Oh." He says, reaching up to feel his ears. Thankfully he doesn't feel any blood like he was worried he would, but his skull definitely aches under his fingertips.

"Your ears will probably be alright." Gavin tells him. Patting his shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeah. But will we?" Jeremy says, Gavin frowns in response.

"I honestly don't know."

-

Jon across the room is rocking Andy in his arms, bat wings wrapped around the toddler. He's murmuring softly to try and put the boy back to sleep, but still listening to the other hybrids in the room. Ashley is leaning against the bars next to him, combing her fingers through Miles' hair comfortingly as she tells the room a story from her and Burnie's childhood.

The conversation is cut off when the heavy metal door swings open. Jeremy sees the heavy boots stomp in and he stands up quickly from his seat against the wall. Gavin stays seated behind him.

Jeremy recognizes the man as the one who had been carrying Gavin when he first saw Alvin. The man comes straight to his and Gavin's cell. "You, with the wings. Come here."

Gavin shakes his head nervously. So Jeremy steps between Him and Gavin. "What do you want with him?"

"Come here, Bird." The man doesn't acknowledge Jeremy, just looking around him to see Gavin.

"He's not coming with you." Jeremy tries again. The man finally looks up at him, and he growls loudly before stomping back out the door.

"It couldn't have been that easy..." Ashley says. She's right, Jeremy realizes, when he hears the boots stomping back. When the man returns he's holding a rifle, similar to the one that had given Jeremy this hearing issue.

Jeremy backs away slowly, and he sees the man's small smirk at the reaction.

He gestures, again, for Gavin to come with him. Jeremy turns to Gavin and his face falls when he sees the seventeen year old slowly standing up.

Gavin gives him a nod before he steps up to the cell door. The man gives what Jeremy could best describe as an evil grin before he opens the door and comes in. Jeremy shrinks back in fear as the man uses a key to unlock the chains from the floor. Then he holds them in his hand like a leash as he leads Gavin out.

"No funny business." He says gruffly before Closing Jeremy's cell door, pulling it once to check that it's locked.

And with nothing more then a small cry of pain as his chains are yanked Gavin is taken out of the room. The door slams back shut and Jeremy immediately feels more alone.

Ashley reaches through the bars near him, gesturing him towards her. He sits on the edge of the mattress where he can lean against the bars she's against.

"He'll be okay. They haven't hurt us too much so far so we have to trust that means we're going to be safe."

As hard as Jeremy finds it to believe these people won't harm them much, he can't help but appreciate Ashley's warm comfort. So he just nods and leans towards her.

-

Although it is hard to tell time from the cell, given there's no windows or clocks around, Jeremy can tell it's been a couple hours when one of the men finally come back with Gavin. It's a different man this time, he has a thin white doctors coat on and even a name tag, which reads 'Mike Hemway'

"You did well, Gavin." Mike says, pushing Gavin back towards his cage. Gavin's face is pale and tearstreaked, and there's a bandage on his temple now.

Jeremy stands up when Mike opens the door, but Mike just shoves Gavin to the floor in the cell and closes it back. Pulling to test it's locked.

"Gavin are you okay?" Jeremy says, Gavin crawls onto the mattress and Jeremy drops to his knees to check him over.

"You've done a very good job, Gavin. Just be sure to get some rest to the next time you won't pass out so much." Jeremy looks up to see Mike staring down at the two. And despite living as a hybrid all his life Jeremy has never felt like such an animal on display before.

"And you. Chinchilla, Alvin will be seeing you soon."

With that Mike turns and leaves the room. Jeremy frozen from what he was told.

"Jeremy, loosen your grip will you mate?" Gavin says, and Jeremy looks down to realize he was gripping Gavin's arm tightly.

"Sorry, sorry." He says, letting go and gently patting the soft pink marks where he was holding. Gavin smiles, although it looks pained.

"What happened to your head?" Miles asks, Gavin turns to the collie and a shudder runs through his body.

"They were just trying to get me to calm down."

Miles cringes in response. 

"What did they want from you?" Jon, across the room, looks nervous for the answer. Andy had already woken up and was now playing with the ties on Jon's sweatshirt.

Gavin looks down at his hands for a moment, seemingly in thought. "They said every person wants to fly. And I am the first step."


	10. We’re just animals, still learning how to crawl

The next time the door swings open Gavin shrinks back against the wall, but Jeremy knows they aren't coming for the bird. The same guard, with the same large hunting rifle, comes to their cage. He smacks the barrel of his gun against the bars. "Rodent, come on."

As much as Jeremy wants to say "No" and try to shrink back in the cage, to hide from the man and hope he would give up, he knows he can't put the others in danger like that.

So he stands, he hears Gavin saying something behind him but it's hard to understand what he's saying without looking at his mouth. But Jeremy is sure he's begging the guard to leave the younger hybrid alone, or for Jeremy to not go.

The other hybrids are yelling too, Andy is wailing from the commotion. Now that they knew what to expect, and knew what these humans wanted from them, they couldn't let him go without a fight.

"Shut that baby up!" The guard commands, and Jon tries his best to soothe the baby against his chest.

But Jeremy ignores them all, he stands as bravely as he can and marches to the guard, pretending he isn't scared out of his wits.

The guard opens the door, and unclips the chains from his wrists instead of the floor.

"What?" Jeremy has to ask, but he takes it as a blessing, maybe it will be easier to escape and get help for the rest of the hybrids.

"Alvin wants you free, he finds it more entertaining."

And if Jeremy hadn't felt like a zoo animal, on display for someone's entertainment, he definitely did now.

The guard tests the cell door once, it opens just barely before he slams it back and messes with the lock for a second. Interesting..

The man grips his wrists behind him, too tightly for him to fight off, and even if he could the rifle is tapping against his hips every step. Intimidating him into obeying.

Jeremy is led out of the room, the loud cries of the other hybrids immediately silenced once the door closes. The guard leads him a few doors down the hall, until he comes to a door that is open. The room is bright with synthetic lights, and there's a large medical table in the center of the room. 

And beside the medical table are two people, one of them is Mike, face calm, clicking a pen against a clipboard. The other is Alvin, he is running his hand through his greasy hair and he has the same exact sickening smile he's worn every other time Jeremy has seen him.

"Finally!" Alvin says at the same time Mike says "Let's get this over with."

Alvin doesn't pay attention to the doctor, instead walking up to Jeremy. Jeremy can't help but shrink back against the guard, but the guard shoves him forward and to the ground.

"Oh come on! Don't hurt him!" Alvin says, eyes manic as he leans down to the Chinchilla. But Jeremy slaps his hands away defiantly. Alvin frowns, before he reaches around Jeremy and picks him up completely, holding tightly enough that Jeremy can barely squirm.

He drags Jeremy to the table, the door slamming behind them. "This won't hurt if you just stay calm!"

Mike sighs, reaching to pull Jeremy's arm under a buckle. But Alvin slaps Mike's hands away. "No, I told you, it's more fun if he's free."

"And I told you, it's safer for everyone if you let me buckle him down. Including him. Trust me I know what I'm doing."

Alvin holds eye contact with Mike for a moment, until he gives in and helps hold Jeremy's hand down while the doctor ties him down. As much as Jeremy tries to squirm away they have his limbs all tapped within minutes.

"Alright, pass me the needle." Mike says, Alvin obediently picks up a large, empty syringe from the tray beside the bed. Jeremy freezes for a moment at the sight of it, before his squirming increases tenfold.

"Come on, please no needles." Jeremy begs, knowing it won't do any good but, Alvin seems to have a soft spot.

He looks Alvin in the eye, face softening into what he knows is the chinchilla hybrid version of puppy dog eyes. "Alvin, please."

Alvin face goes slack in surprise, and Mike freezes with the needle beside Jeremy's arm.

"They know your name?" Mike bellows, Jeremy flinches away, but his eyes immediately go to the name tag clipped to the pocket of his labcoat.

"I. I didn't know he did. And it's not like they don't know your name too!" Alvin says, gesturing to the tag. Mike rubs his eyes with his free hand.

"I have to keep it on to get us into the building, idiot." 

The guard says something, which Jeremy can't make out, from his spot by the door. But the two adults standing over him look at the guard and nod.

"I suppose it really doesn't matter. It's not as if they'll be getting out any time soon." Mike reconciles. 

As his blood is drawn, Jeremy distracts himself with thoughts of what he's learned by now.

Mike needs an id card to get them in. 

Unfortunately at the angle he was laying he couldn't make out the little red letters above Mike's name. But he hopes that whatever is written can help them get out of there.

-

"All done, would you mind taking him back?" Mike is looking to the guard, Alvin tries to object but Alvin puts a hand up, "I need to speak with you." 

Alvin sighs. Eyes rolling. But when he looks back down at Jeremy his face softens. "I knew you would love me, you'll just be the perfect pet." He tells him. And Jeremy can't do anything but tense up as the man leans down and presses his lips against the base of Jeremy's ear.

Mike makes a quiet noise of disgust, but doesn't say anything. And if Jeremy didn't feel dirty before he definitely does now.

When the guard comes to take him away he's even thankful. Because as scared as he is with the guard, it's a set fear. This guard has a gun, and large muscles, and a commanding, angry voice.

Alvin, while much lankier and weaker-looking then the guard, is a different sort of fear. A fear of the unknown, a fear of knowing that you're not looked at as a person, but as a toy.

Jeremy suppresses a shudder at the idea, avoiding looking at Alvin as he's led out of the room. He can hear Alvin and Mike arguing behind him but the last thing he would want is to see the two again.

The guard is silent beside him for the walk. Finally they reach what Jeremy recognizes as the heavy metal door that keeps them trapped inside that room. Jeremy is surprised to see that there are no locks on the door. Just a simple handle.

But before the guard can turn the handle there's a loud shout down the hall. Seemingly that of a child, and even though Jeremy can't make out what he is all of his instincts tell him that it's a rodent hybrid, and he needs to be protected.

Jeremy begins to squirm without even realizing it, and in his surprise the guard lets go.

Jeremy remembers something his parents said, how humans had a rough time keeping hold of rodents that didn't want to be held because they were just so skilled at getting away. And for once Jeremy is thankful for those genes.

Jeremy shoots off like a bullet, ignoring the shouts from behind him. He rounds corner after corner until he reaches a wider hallway. And at the end of it he can see a child is shouting, trying to get out of a guard's tight grip. Jeremy stops running abruptly, and hides behind the corner so they don't see him.

He can't see more than the kid's back, and the large ears on top of his head. One ear is flopped over into his mop of hair and the other standing up slightly. But he doesn't remember any rabbit hybrid kids with tan skin and dark hair like that back at the hybrid shelter.

"God, you'd think after this long he would've gotten used to it." A second guard says, coming out of a doorway beside the child. As he's trying to help apprehend the kid Jeremy's guard runs up, tackling Jeremy to the floor.

The three people down the hall freeze, looking back at Jeremy who is now struggling underneath the guard. And from under the guard's shoulder he links eyes with the child.

And he knows who it is.

He's only ever seen him in photos, and he was slightly younger then, with both of his ears still limp and flopped over. But it's definitely him.

Standing there, only twenty feet away, is Alex Narvaez.

Ray's missing younger brother.

The guard sticks a needle in his neck and Jeremy's view fades to black. Mind racing until the drug completely takes over and Jeremy falls slack against the floor.


	11. Were we born to abuse?

Jeremy hears the people around him before he finds the strength to move or even open his eyes. Andy is babbling to Jon, who is encouraging him lightly, while keeping up a conversation with Ashley. Occasionally Gavin chimes in. Jeremy can't bring himself to focus on what the others are actually saying, instead trying to keep himself from making any noise in pain.

Apparently that fails, he realizes when Gavin is over him asking if he's alright. Jeremy cracks his eyes open to see the bird hybrid has his wings puffed out, hands flitting about a few inches away from Jeremy. Clearly searching for an injury without wanting to actually touch the boy.

"I'm fine, but there's something I need to tell you all."

"After you have some water." Jon instructs from across the room. And Jeremy nods, some water really does sound good right now.

-

By the time Jeremy has had some water, and then some of the food that was laid out on the table in their cell, by Ashley's demand, he is finally able to tell them the news. Leaning against the wall, on a dingy mattress, Jeremy tells them something that will change everything.

"They have Alex."

Gavin gasps next to him, and he can see Trevor is covering his mouth across the room.

"Who is Alex?" Barbara asks.

"Do you mean the Alex Ray told me about?" Jon says, not elaborating for the others in the room. Jeremy nods silently.

"What Alex that Ray told you about?" Barbara repeats her question.

"Ray's little brother. He went missing a few months ago. We thought. . . we thought he was dead." Gavin says, his eyes are still wide in shock.

"If he went missing a few months ago. . ." Miles trails off.

"We aren't the first hybrids to be found by humans." Jeremy finishes.

There's a thoughtful silence, each hybrid stuck staring into space as they try and figure everything out. The silence is only broken by Andy occasionally making noise, as the toddler drinks a cup of water.

"I think we need to figure out a way out of here." Ashley finally breaks the silence. Despite the anxiety in the air at her words no one disagrees.

Jeremy, finally, lets himself feel some real hope.


	12. Shoot a gun and run

The next morning everyone is quietly discussing the situation. And any tactic they could use to safely get out of the place, and hopefully get Alex out too.

The group immediately goes silent when the door swings open, the guard from earlier, now with a bright red scrape on his chin from his struggle with Jeremy, enters the room. He glances around cautiously before he walks up to Jeremy and Gavin's cage again.

"Hey! Hey why is it always them! Why don't you give them a break!" Miles bursts out, standing against the bars and reaching his arms through as if trying to pull the guard towards him.

"What are you doing?" Jeremy asks, genuinely in shock at what Miles was saying, was he really trying to give himself up for Jeremy and Gavin?

"No offense, but you're not that important to us. Just so you know we wouldn't be as inclined to keep a useless hybrid healthy.

The threat hangs heavy in the air, and Miles shrinks back.

"Bird. Come on."

Gavin stares at his feet as he's unchained from the ground and led out. Eyes only lifting to watch the guard fiddle with the door, opening it just the slightest bit before slamming it back.

Gavin's eyes visibly widen when he looks up at Jeremy, and when their eyes meet Jeremy realizes what Gavin is thinking.

He waits impatiently for the guard to drag Gavin out the door, and for the door to shut loudly before he tells the group the new information.

"I think these doors have faulty locks, have you noticed how they always check the doors?"

The group all nod slowly, recalling all the times the guard and Mike had needed to close the door two or three times for it to properly lock.

"I have an idea." Jeremy tells them, Ashley seems nervous about letting the young teen put himself into a, probably even more dangerous than already, situation. But it could be their only chance.

-

The next time the door opens it's three people. Mike, the now-scarred guard, and Gavin. Gavin is stumbling slightly where he's being dragged beside the guard, but seems unharmed.

The hybrids all act normal, Miles and Ashley are seemingly asleep, although Jeremy knows it's fake. Jon is feeding Andy some crackers they had been given, and Trevor and Barbara sit silently on the corner of their mattress.

The guard opens Gavin's cell, buckling his chains back to the ground. Then he turns to Jeremy, "Come on, Chinchilla."

Jeremy didn't realize he would have to act out the plan this soon, Jon looks up from Andy worriedly, and he sees Barbara and Trevor sit up in surprise.

"Right now?" He stutters. Gavin looks at him sadly.

"Yes. Now. Alvin is waiting." Mike says. Jeremy slowly obeys the men, allowing them to unchain him from the ground and lead him out.

-

They come to the same room as last time, and Alvin is waiting excitedly beside the bed, he stands up straighter when the men enter. Eyes lighting up as soon as he sees Jeremy come in.

Jeremy just follows the men obediently. Laying on the table when they tell him to and barely putting up a fight when they buckle him down.

Jeremy barely reacts when Mike draws his blood, or when Alvin prods at his ears. But whenever the guard comes closer he tenses up violently. He forces himself to tremble in an obvious manner and starts biting his lip, whimpering.

"Why are you so upset, little guy?" Alvin coos. Jeremy refuses the urge to shudder as Alvin threads a hand through his hair, instead forcing himself to relax and let his eyes close.

When he opens them back he can see Mike looking between Jeremy, Alvin and the guard. Eyes calculating.

"Alright. We're finished here. Alvin I guess you can bring him back. Don't forget about the lock."

Jeremy wonders if he's talking about the cell locks, and hopes he can get Alvin to forget somehow.

"What are you talking about? I'm supposed to bring him back."

Mike shakes his head "I am your boss. Am I not?" He says, the guard looks irate but seems to bite his tongue.

"I suppose my chinchilla here just feels better when he's with me!" Alvin tells the guard smugly, leaning down to nuzzle Jeremy's forehead. Jeremy bites down the sickness and instead cranes his neck into the touch.

The guard huffs, but helps Alvin get Jeremy out. Before he can follow the two down the hallway though Mike calls out "Hey, guard."

The guard turns around, and Jeremy feels that spark of hope grow.

-

"Here we are." Alvin says when they reach the door, but he doesn't move to open it. Instead he stops and grabs Jeremy's shoulders. Looking the hybrid up and down with a smirk.

"I'm glad you're finally feeling safe with me, little one. It will make the transitional period much easier for everyone."

Jeremy can't resist asking, "Transitional period?"

Alvin smiles even wider, letting out a joyful chuckle. "Yes! When I finally get to take you home." 

Jeremy's eyebrows climb up "You're taking me home?" There's no way, maybe Alvin was on his side all along. Maybe he would get to see his family again. Maybe Alvin had found wherever they had left to, found the groups of older hybrids that hadn't gone to the shelter. Jeremy was hit by how much he really missed his family. How much he missed the towering trees and the soft, mossy ground of the forest.

"Yes! Oh you will love it there. I've got it all set up perfectly for you."

Jeremy's heart sinks. And he realizes that if he doesn't finish the plan correctly tonight then he will actually become a pet.

Alvin goes to the door, but when he reaches to open it Jeremy puts a hand on his arm. "Wait, may I ask you something first, sir?"

Alvin turns around, "Yes, little one?" he purrs. Baring all his teeth in a smile.

"Well, the chains have really been hurting my hands. Chinchilla's have very sensitive skin and I think this heavy metal is bothering it." He smacks on his most convincing pout for good measure.

"Oh, well I don't know. . ." Alvin trails off, looking back toward the direction they came from.

"Please, it could really hurt my skin."

Alvin thinks for another second, before nodding resolutely. "Sure, little one. Anything to make you feel better." Alvin smiles warmly. He leads Jeremy inside the room and into his cell before he finally unhooks the shackles off Jeremy's wrists.

Alvin shuts the door, but before he has the chance to check the lock Trevor shouts out from behind him.

"Hey! What about us!" Trevor says, he glares at Alvin. And Jeremy worries for a second Alvin will change his mind and lock Jeremy back when he sees the human's facial expression.

"No, Trevor. Alvin is my human. Just be quiet." Jeremy barks. Trevor's eyes widen for affect. Alvin looks back and forth between the two before he breaks into a wide grin.

"That's my boy!" Alvin says, he reaches through the bars to pull Jeremy's face forward, managing to place a kiss on the chinchilla's forehead. Before he turns around and leaves the room.

The room is silent for a moment, Ashley stands up when Jeremy starts frantically wiping his forehead, feeling the need to clean off whatever that man had left behind.

"Jeremy. You didn't tell us he. . ." Ashley starts, but he waves her off.

"It's okay, he hasn't done anything more than kiss my head." He tells her, even though it doesn't feel okay."

"Oh, okay. . ." Ashley says, clearly doubtful. "Well, I guess you should test the door.

The room seems to grow colder, everyone sucking in a breath in nervousness. 

Jeremy grabs the bars, and as he pushes them the door immediately opens.

"Oh my god." Miles gasps, Jeremy resists the urge to shout in joy. Instead stepping out quitely.

"I need to go find some keys, Gavin could you fold the blanket in a way that looks like I'm in it?" Jeremy says. Quiet even though he knows the room is soundproof. Gavin does as he was instructed, and he pulls the cell door back closed quietly.

Jeremy takes a deep breath, before he opens the heavy door. He looks to both sides of the hall before silently sneaking to the door across the hall.

The door is closed, but he can see through the little window on the door that the lights are off. He walks in and looks around, no keys in sight, but it appears to be a medical storage room.

He glances into one of the cabinets and realizes it has surgery blades, and he wonders if they could work. 

-

He opens and closes the metal door as silently as he can. Smiling at everyone else in the room as they perk up.

"I don't know for sure if this will work, but I found some blades that I might can pick the locks with.

He goes to Jon's cell first, since it's only the door, and Jon's shackles that need to be picked, since Andy wasn't chained.

He fiddles with the narrow blade for a second, until he finally hears a quiet click.

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Barbara exclaims, eyes lighting up as Jeremy opens the door.

The cuffs are easier to pick then the door, and Jeremy has Jon out in no time. He hands Jon a second blade and sends him to get the hybrids on the other side of the room out. Andy waiting obediently beside their cell door.

Trevor, Barbara and Miles are all out within moments, as Jon is fiddling with Ashley's last cuff Jeremy goes back to his cellmate. 

"I can't believe this is really working." Gavin says, Jeremy can't help but smile.

Of course, that's when it had to go wrong.

The metal door swings open dramatically. From outside Jeremy hears Alvin say "See, everything is fi-"

All the hybrids freeze. Jeremy turns his head to see that Alvin has his mouth dropped open. And behind him Mike and the guard are clearly growing irate.

Jeremy notices the guard doesn't have his rifle as usual, instead his hands are thrown into the air in exasperation.

"Get back in your cells! Now!" Mike shouts, Jeremy drops the blade he was using to unlock Gavin in surprise.

When the hybrids don't make any move to go back to their cells Mike steps in threateningly. Looking around before his eyes land on Andy and his lips shape into a sharp smile.

"Hm." He mutters, and Jeremy thinks 'no no no no' when the human bends over and picks up the toddler, holding him on his hip tightly.

Andy immediately starts squalling, and everyone tenses even more at the noise. But Mike doesn't even flinch.

"Didn't I give you all an order?"

The hybrids all walk back to the cages, Jeremy sits on his and Gavin's mattress. Nudging the blade behind the table leg.

"I just can't believe you would all stoop so low. This is a scientific facility. We're trying to learn from you."

"By treating us as lab rats!" Miles growls, teeth bared in a very canine fashion.

Mike just shrugs. "Animal testing isn't illegal."

"Yes. But these are people." A gruff voice says from the doorway. Even Mike turns around in shock.

And there, haloed by the artificial lights of the hallway, is Burnie Burns. His horns are almost long enough to scrape the top of the doorframe. In his hands is a black handgun. And although Jeremy had never felt like Burnie was dangerous since he'd met him, he can feel the danger radiating off the man. But it's not toward him.

He stares Mike down, eyes never once leaving the doctor's face. Arm not slacking for a second from pointing the gun at Mike's chest.

"Put him down, now." Burnie commands. The man silently sits Andy on the floor, and raises his arms above his hand. 

The boy immediately toddles over to Jon, who grabs the toddler and squeezes him protectively against his chest.

"Now, if you want to get out of this building alive I think you should step away from them." Burnie backs away from the door a little, and finally breaks his stare at Mike to glance around the room "Come on, you're all getting out of here."

But Mike takes his chance in the second of distraction, leaping toward Burnie. He knocks the gun out of Burnie's hand and picks it up, pointing it back at Burnie. "Come on. You're just like them. You're not a real human. And everyone knows that humans are at the top of the food chain."

Mike smiles, finger tightening on it's grip around the gun. He flicks the safety off. Looking completely comfortable with a gun in his hand.

Jeremy knows he doesn't have a choice.

He leaps out of the open cell door, hand gripped tight around the surgical blade. He slams it into Mike's shoulder with all his body force.

Mike lets out a loud shout, dropping the gun as his arm seizes up in pain. The man clutches his shoulder, wailing loudly as he drops to the ground aswell.

Burnie snatches the gun back off the floor, sticking it into a holster on his side and waving down the hall. "I got him!"

More steps thunder down the hall, and four human police officers run into the room. One immediately cuffs the doctor on the floor while the other three begin checking on the hybrids.

Burnie goes straight to Ashley, hugging the woman tightly. "I'm so glad you're safe." 

"You can thank Jeremy for that." She tells him, smiling warmly at the teen.

Jeremy shrugs. "We wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place if it wasn't for me."

"Yeah. But we wouldn't have humans on our side now if it weren't for you either."

Jeremy looks at the police officers again. He has never seen anything like it. The hybrids all have their animal features exposed. Jon is talking to a woman, and though she occasionally glances at his bat wings she doesn't treat him any differently. She slowly helps him stand on wobbly legs and she comforts the small mouse hybrid at his feet. A police man is inside his cell, talking to Gavin. But seemingly treating him as a normal victim.

"Human's really. . . They really know?" Jeremy asks.

Burnie nods "More and more came out. Then a hybrid shelter named Haus in LA released the information that hybrids are real. And everything changed after that. Some humans actually want to protect us. We came out of hiding, Jeremy. And it was all because of you."

Burnie feels his chest swell, and his throat starts burning with tears that he'd been holding in for so long.

"We're really safe?"

"Yeah, Jeremy. We really are."


	13. Forever running wild in the human race

Jeremy is blinded by the sunlight when he finally walks out. When he looks behind him he sees a sign that reads "Nicholas Hemway Private Med" above the door. All the other hybrids in the facility are walking in a group with him. Including Alex and Bethany. The two small children stand close to Jeremy, and Alex almost seems like he wants to hold onto Jeremy's arm as the group is escorted out of the building by the police.

"Where are we going to go?" Jeremy asks.

Burnie, from his spot in front of him, drops back in the group to walk beside Jeremy. "We're going to go back to the shelter for a little while, after a few hours some police officers are going to come and discuss everything that happened. Unless anyone needs medical attention." He says that part a little bit louder. The hybrids look around at each other and he knows they're all thinking what he is.

'A hospital is the last place they want to be after all of that.'

So Jeremy just nods, he follows everyone as they're split into various police vehicles to be brought back home.

-

When they finally arrive at the giant building, Jeremy is half asleep. He had found himself nodding off on Gavin's shoulder for most of the 30 minute drive, finally feeling safe enough to properly sleep. Gavin gently shakes him awake. "Lil J, we're back."

Jeremy looks groggily out the window, but wakes right up when he realizes everyone is waiting outside. And for the first time since Jeremy left his home village he saw a large group of hybrids, outside, with their animal features on display. He finds Ryan first. Tall frame made even taller by the horns on his head. Geoff and Jack are beside him. Ray is a few feet away, rabbit ears sticking high in the air.

And Matt. Standing in the center of the group, looking like he was holding himself back from running right up to the police cars and getting his friends out himself.

Jeremy rips open the door, Barreling toward Matt. He sees his best friend's eyes light up before he almost tackles him to the ground in a hug. Luckily the lanky badger manages to keep himself upright. But he hugs Jeremy back just as tightly.

Everything felt unreal, all the hybrids out in the open. Humans actually rescuing them. But there, trapped in the bear hug of a badger, Jeremy finally felt grounded.

Jeremy lets Matt go, looking around at everyone before he hears a shout.

He turns just in time to see Alex jump into Ray's arms, Ray accidentally traps Alex's floppy ear under his arm in the tight hug, but the child doesn't seem to care. Instead repeating "Ray! Ray!" So loudly that even Jeremy's damaged ears can make out the cheers.

Bethany follows behind Alex, getting just as tight a hug from Ray as Alex had.

Jeremy can't hold in the teary smile at the reunion. Ray is visibly shaking, with his arms around the two kid's shoulders.

There's a gentle tap on his shoulder, and when Jeremy turns around Blaine is behind him. Blaine shuffles his tennis shoes against the ground bashfully. "Hey, uh. I just wanted to say I'm sorry." He says quietly. 

Jeremy is silent, thinking, for a moment. Blaine starts to awkwardly twiddle his thumbs, staring at the grass.

Jeremy claps his hand on the taller boy's shoulder, and Blaine's head lifts up so he can watch Jeremy.

"It's alright, man. It was a rough few days. Water under the bridge?" Jeremy says, warm smile lighting up his face. Blaine grins and pulls him in for a bro-hug.

\- One month later -

Jeremy, aswell as all the other hybrids in the room, watch the tv with completely enraptured attention. Geoff, Gavin, Michael and Ryan are on couches around Jeremy. Each leaning toward the tv attached to the wall. On said TV a politician, a thin woman with a powerful voice and short cropped hair, explains "The Colonies"

Beside her is Burnie. His horns standing proud over the top of his head. His face is serious but Jeremy has known him long enough to be able to recognize the pure joy on his face, even through the television.

"These colonies will remain untouched by humans without express permission. But hybrids will be free to join the rest of the human race in all territories. Aswell as the law being changed to protect these people." The woman explains. "Thank you for listening. I would now like to turn your attention to my friend, Burnie." 

She steps from her pedastal, allowing room for Burnie to talk into the microphone. The camera flashes increase drastically but Burnie doesn't even blink.

"Thank you, Martha." Burnie says, nodding politely to the politician. She smiles at him and shakes his hand, before he turns back to the crowd in front of him.

"And thank all of you. I know growing up I never expected this. I, and every hybrid I know, was taught that humans were to be feared. They would take us as soon as they got the chance. And for some this is true.." Burnie pauses, and Jeremy can tell the memories of a month ago are running through everyone's mind.

"But," Burnie continues, "I've realized it's not always like that. This past month I've met so many incredible people. They saved my family. And I will forever be thankful for that. For all the humans that are threatening and dangerous there are ten that are not only willing to, but are actively putting in the work to keep us safe." Burnie gestures back at Martha, and she gives the cameras a smile.

"And so. I want to say to all the hybrids out there, if you're managing to watch this. We're safe. We can finally come out of hiding. Because the human race is massive, but there is plenty of room for us."

"Jeremy Dooley?" A voice says from the doorway. The politician's assistant is waiting patiently. High heels making her tower over Jeremy when he stands up. "They're ready."

Jeremy glances around him, and his friends all give him supportive smiles and pats on the back. "Go on." Geoff encourages.

Jeremy takes a deep breath, and with one last nervous smile at the group he follows the assistant out of the room. He keeps his eyes trained on her heels as they walk, until they reach the large glass doors and Jeremy can feel the sun beating on him from outside.

The politician is at the mic again. She glances back at her assistant before telling the crowd "And to cut the ribbon on this momentous occasion we wanted to invite someone special. Someone that, despite his young age, has become a massive influence over his generation of hybrids. I'm proud to welcome Jeremy Dooley."

Jeremy focuses on breathing deeply, and keeping his head up as he walks to Martha. His ears are twitching from his nervousness, and his tail is almost tucked between his legs. But he tries his best to hide his stage fright.

She leads him to a wide red ribbon, tied in a giant bow in the center. Jeremy had never realized human's really did that, thinking it was just a TV thing. But Martha's assistant hands him a large pair of scissors. Jeremy thanks them through the microphone before slowly cutting through the ribbon. As it falls he lets his eyes trail over the woods. It's mostly plain woods, but there's a large fence that stretches for miles. He can see a couple of small buildings are already taking shape aswell. This is going to be the hybrid sanctuary. A place free from humans.

He hands the scissors back to the assistant, and turns around to the crowd. Smiling widely. His nerves fade a bit. Even as the reporters all start to bombard him with questions, he feels safe. Burnie leads him back into the building after a few minutes, they wave at the crowd as the door closes.

"You did a great job." Burnie tells him, as he leads him away from the window and back to the others with a hand on his shoulder. Jeremy gives him a genuine thanks.

He thinks back to what Martha had said. And what he'd seen a couple of times through the past month. Jeremy had started a twitter account about a week after he came back, and was found by the general public almost instantly. He found himself answering human's questions about what being a hybrid was like. And eventually answering messages from other hybrids thanking him for his part in setting them free.

Jeremy doesn't feel like he deserves all the attention, and he's thankful that Burnie is getting his fair share as well. But Jeremy will be damned if he doesn't use this attention to help the other hybrids. And on purpose this time.

As soon as Burnie opens the door to the little sitting room Michael jumps up, tail swishing behind him as he congratulates Jeremy and Burnie.

The others each chime in their congrats. Gavin starts clapping as he laughs gleefully.

"I still can't believe it, if I'm honest." Geoff says. He comes to stand in front of Jeremy, dopey smile on his face "Someone so small really can do something so big."

Jeremy smacks his arm, but he laughs along with everyone else.

He really did do something big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh!! This was my first ever completed story and I had such a blast writing it. I really love this AU and I think I may write a sequel soon. Please let me know if you would be interested in reading one!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read this whole thing, and has given me kudos or a comment. I can't thank you enough for reading my work. I've put quite a few hours into this sucker and it feels so great to know someone enjoyed it. Love you all <3


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